"It's not an easy moment [for Chelsea] because I think the club need to change something," he told the Mail on Sunday. "Because it needs to have players that, maybe not now but in the future, can substitute the big players.

"To do this in this moment is not really easy, because for change, you need to have more time. Maybe this year could be good for Chelsea, of course, [just] to reach the Champions League.

"You can do things step by step but eventually you arrive at the moment where you have to change. I feel that this is the moment Chelsea have decided to change.

"It depends on the aim of the club. If it is to change and to have trust in this manager then they have to wait. It doesn't matter if you don't win the league this year. But you have to create a new team for the next year. But if this is the aim, to win the league, I think it is difficult for Chelsea to win the league [this year]."